Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) formerly known as Indian Muslim Council (IMC) is an advocacy group formed in the United State of America by Muslims from India.
IAMC’s advocates for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity’ which are the bedrock of freedom, justice and peace. There was a need for an advocacy group of Indian Muslims as there were groups, which advocated the respective causes of Dalits, Sikhs, Hindus, Jains.
IAMC was formed after the genocide of Muslims in the Indian State of Gujarat in 2002 in which thousands of men, women and children were burned alive, mutilated and put to death by militant Hindu extremists.
IAMC’s mission since its inception is to raise the awareness of the plight of Indian minorities with emphasis on Muslims in India. Muslims in India are among the most backward in terms of education, economics, and employment and have been manipulated by all the major political parties since Independence.
The aims of IAMC are:
-
To monitor human rights violations in India especially of Muslims.
-
To preserve and promote the Secular, Democratic, Pluralistic values that is guaranteed by the Indian Constitution for all Indian Nationals.
-
To work through advocacy, develop relations and build coalition with other like minded groups and individuals.
-
To provide a platform for increasing education and awareness about issues of interest to the Indian community in the United States.
Due to the intense efforts of IAMC the World was made aware to some extent of the Gujrat massacre at the hands of Hindu zealots. IAMC played an important part in convincing the US State Department to deny Visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and also Modi’s being taken off the Invitee list of World Economic Forum summit.
IAMC had advocated the cause of youths wrongfully arrested in the Mecca Masjid (Hyderabad) blast case of 2007 and also called on Bihar Chief Minister to take steps in preventing killings of innocent villagers as was the case in Forbesganj, Bihar in 2011.
150 Lawsuits were filed by IAMC providing relief to over 500 Muslims who were wrongfully arrested in various towns and cities in India.
IAMC is undertaking the publishing of Activists
Handbook for paralegals in different Indian languages spoken by Muslims.
IAMC has produced a documentary on encounter killings in Gujarat and is now producing another documentary ‘After the Storm’ that pictures the lives of Muslim youths who were arrested as suspects in Terrorism and were sent to jail on unfounded charges.
Another documentary by the name of ‘Out of Court Settlement’ is made by Shubhradeep Chakraborty with the help of IAMC. This documentary tries to find out, whether Govt. of India or the State Governments apparatus was involved behind the intimidation, harassment and even killings of defense Lawyers who had taken cases filed against Muslims youths around the country. The documentary also tries to evaluate the state of Indian Legal System and its capability to deliver justice to Muslims.
IAMC have a website (www.IAMC.com) and is updated regularly with reference to the daily news in India and also about the activities of the various chapters in the US.
IAMC has a presence on Facebook as well – A weekly news roundup relating to Muslims in India and across the world is updated every week with opinions and editorials.
It also sponsors the work of an Independent community media organization ‘Two Circles.Net (TCN). TCN presents news and views of interest pertaining to Muslims in India and the World. The mainstream media in India usually carry news of Muslims in negative context. This is being countered by TCN which presents a positive image of Muslims in the country- TCN’s articles and news of Muslims in India and the world is being readily taken up by the mainstream media in India.
IAMC have representatives in India to facilitate in reaching the right people in the Government and do plans of having the same here in Washington.
Currently there are over 10 active chapters of IAMC nationwide and the goal of the executive committee is to have more than 20 chapters in the next few years. IAMC chapters try to work in cooperation and other American and Indian societies to
IAMC is also working with groups in various countries of the world to start a ‘Global Council Of Indian Muslims’.
IAMC is not for profit tax exempt entity and is supported by voluntary donations as there is no membership fee to join the organization.
In North Carolina two chapters are formed one in Raleigh and the other is in Charlotte, More information can be had from the site of IAMC or by email to Charlotte@iamc.com